Highlander Inn Scottish Breakfast at Maltstock!   
  
Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

It is our great pleasure to announce that Duncan Elphick and his chef from the Highlander Inn will be coming to Maltstock to prepare a Scottish breakfast. All ingredients will be brought from Scotland so you can enjoy a real taste of Scotland at Maltstock!

The Highlander Inn

Many of you probably already know the Highlander Inn. Or perhaps have met Duncan and Tatsuya at one of the whisky fairs. Those of you who have visited the Highlander Inn know what a great little place it is. We are very proud that Duncan and his chef will travel from Craigellachie to Overasselt to prepare a great Scottish breakfast for us at Maltstock. It will be a perfect start of the day.

The Highlander Inn is a very well known and respected place in the heart of Speyside, Craigellachie. It is a place every whisky enthusiast should visit when visiting Speyside. It is perfect place to discover Speyside. There are only five bedrooms, so booking in advance is strongly recommended.
In the bar you are very likely to meet fellow whisky enthusiasts and is also popular with the locals. You won’t be disappointed by the tremendous selection of whiskies. There are over 200 whiskies to choose from (amongst them some great Japanese whiskies!).

It is also possible to enjoy a meal, either in the bar or in the restaurant. From own experience I can tell you the food is also excellent, both in the bar and in their à la carte restaurant. They serve one of the best Haggis you will ever try.

Plenty of excellent reasons to stop in Craigellachie at the Highlander Inn on your travels through Scotland.

More information about the Highlander Inn and for bookings please visit www.whiskyinn.com.

Or come to Maltstock and talk to Duncan in person.

Free masterclasses at Maltstock

We know many of you are eagerly awaiting the free masterclasses at Maltstock. It will be possible to book tickets for these free tastings around mid June. We will inform you by e-mail as soon as they can be booked online. Remember, the free tastings are only for people who already have bought their Maltstock tickets. So get your Maltstock tickets now. Click here to go to the Maltstock shop.

See you in September, see you at Maltstock!

Slainte!

Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun
www.maltstock.com

BenRiach 15yo 1994/2009 (57.1%, OB, for Kensington, Madeira HHD, C#4810, 250 Bts.)

Some people start to experience breathing difficulties when the term ‘finished’ is mentioned in relation to scotch whiskies. If you’re such a person, it’s time to strap on the oxygen mask because here’s an example of a finished whisky. This one strikes all the bells in the tower; single cask, cask strength, non chill filtered, natural color, Madeira finish and bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market in Calgary, Alberta Canada.

The first sniff (nose) into the top of the glass reveals some strength and a very slight sourness (like sour cherries) and then a rich sweetness comes roiling up for the depths of the glass. Thick of warm fruit in the bowl, sun dried raisins, brown sugar followed by some malt and then moments of something dark and even richer, earthy, slightly over cooked (reduced not burnt) marmalade and the slight hints of sour cherries. Simply put a stunningly good collection of aromas. With water the aromas become slightly less fruity and more earthy/malty/woody but the rich fruit is still very much in evidence. The taste is once again rich and much like the undiluted aromas, rich concentrated fruits and now some leather and tobacco enter into the fray roiling around in the mouth; after a moment or tow it becomes almost creamy. Excellent. With water the taste is much gentler with loads of the fruit, malt and the earthy notes. The finish is malty, dry and oaky with the afore mentioned fruit and some of the leather and tobacco. It is very long, warming and quite good. After a number of minutes raisins and malt are still present.

Try it neat for nosing and with water for drinking but quite simply any combination works. Finishing can work… Another excellent pick from the Kensington team. Well done Andrew.

C$110

Score 88 points

For the Whisky fans in Orange County there is a Glenfarclas Scotch Dinner coming up at Villa Nova in Newport, June 23, 6:30-9:30

Glenfarclas, Single Malt Scotch Whiskey and the wonderful food and atmosphere of Villa Nova Restaurant.

To lead the tasting of his fine Scotch will be George Grant of Glenfarclas Distillery.

Featured in the tasting will be the 107 10yr, 12yr, 17yr, 21yr and 25yr Old iterations of Glenfarclas.

The cost for everything is only $40.00

RSVP’s are required. To make one cal Villa Nova at (949) 642-7880.

http://www.villanovarestaurant.com/

3131 West Coast Highway
Newport Beach,

California 92663-4082

(thanks Forrest)

… whisky review 134 at www.ralfy.com (whisky reviews) concludes a wee Islay run of Vlogs to coincide with the Feis Ile Festival on Islay.

It’s “the Ileach” Cask Strength single malt from an unspecified Distillery somewhere near Bowmore.

The Port Ellen Maltings supplies malt for many of Islay’s distilleries, and I’ll wrap up the special series of Feis Ile episodes from Islay with a rare tour inside the Maltings led by native Ileach manager Graham Logie. There’s music from Robin Laing and some final thoughts as I wind up coverage of the 25th Islay Festival of Malt & Music.

www.whiskycast.com